Project Cars: Game of the Year Edition

Project Cars: Game of the Year Edition is the definitive compilation of the acclaimed racing simulation game, featuring the complete base game along with all previously released downloadable content. This comprehensive package includes multiple car packs featuring limited edition vehicles, modified cars, racing icons, Aston Martins, classic Lotuses, Japanese models, Renault Sport vehicles, and US race cars. It also expands the racing experience with additional tracks such as Audi Ruapuna Speedway, Stanceworks expansion, Aston Martin tracks, classic Lotus circuits, and the Pagani Nürburgring Combined expansion. Players can experience a realistic motorsport simulation with extensive customization options across various racing disciplines.

Project Cars: Game of the Year Edition: Review

Introduction

In the pantheon of racing simulations, few titles have arrived with as much ambition—or as much baggage—as Slightly Mad Studios’ Project Cars. Released in 2015 to a mix of critical acclaim and player frustration, it was a game that promised to redefine the genre through community-driven development and cutting-edge technology. A year later, the Game of the Year Edition emerged, not merely as a repackaging but as a definitive statement—a comprehensive collection aimed at addressing its predecessor’s shortcomings while cementing its legacy. This edition represents the culmination of a tumultuous development cycle, offering the most polished and content-rich version of a game that sought to bridge the gap between hardcore simulation and accessible motorsport passion. It is a testament to both the vision of its creators and the relentless pursuit of perfection in the face of technological and design challenges.

Development History & Context

Project Cars was born from a unique and ambitious development model spearheaded by Slightly Mad Studios, a team with prior accolades in the genre, including the Need for Speed: Shift series. The game was partially funded through a community investment program, allowing fans to contribute financially and creatively, offering feedback that shaped the game’s evolution. This approach was both a strength and a vulnerability: it fostered a deeply engaged community but also created expectations that were challenging to meet.

The gaming landscape in 2015 was dominated by established franchises like Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo, which offered polished, content-rich experiences. Project Cars aimed to differentiate itself through an uncompromising focus on simulation authenticity, dynamic weather systems, and a career mode that eschewed traditional progression for a more open, motorsport-focused journey. However, the initial release was hampered by technical issues, including aggressive AI, bugs, and performance inconsistencies, particularly on consoles.

The Game of the Year Edition, released on May 6, 2016, was Slightly Mad Studios’ response to these criticisms. It incorporated over 500 improvements and fixes, alongside all previously released DLC, effectively serving as a massive patch wrapped in a new package. This edition was designed to be the definitive version, leveraging the additional development time to refine the experience and expand the content roster, making it a more compelling entry point for new players and a vindication for existing fans.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

As a simulation-focused racing game, Project Cars does not feature a traditional narrative in the sense of character-driven storytelling. Instead, its “narrative” is woven through the player’s journey in the career mode—a rise from karting rookie to motorsport legend. This mode is less about scripted events and more about the emergent drama of competition, the rivalry with AI drivers, and the personal milestones achieved through relentless practice and refinement.

Thematically, the game explores the essence of motorsport: the pursuit of perfection, the interplay between human skill and mechanical engineering, and the sheer unpredictability of racing conditions. The career mode allows players to choose their path, whether starting in go-karts like Lewis Hamilton or diving straight into endurance racing, emphasizing agency and personal investment. Scouts and team offers add a layer of narrative depth, mimicking the real-world politics and opportunities of professional racing.

The Game of the Year Edition enhances this thematic richness by including additional cars and tracks, such as the Pagani Zonda Revolucion and Huayra BC, which serve as “characters” in their own right—exotic machines with distinct personalities and histories. The inclusion of community-created liveries further personalizes the experience, allowing players to craft their own identity within the game’s world.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

At its core, Project Cars: Game of the Year Edition is a racing simulator that prioritizes authenticity over arcade thrills. The handling model is nuanced and demanding, requiring precise throttle control, braking, and steering inputs. The game supports a wide range of input devices, from keyboards to racing wheels, but it truly shines with the latter, offering tactile feedback that conveys road surface changes, tire grip, and aerodynamic forces.

The career mode is the centerpiece, offering a sandbox approach to motorsport progression. Players can jump into any discipline, from Formula A to GT3, and pursue championships, invitational events, and historic goals. The dynamic weather and time-of-day system dramatically impacts gameplay, forcing strategic pit stops for tire changes and adjustments to driving style. For example, a sunny race can quickly turn into a torrential downpour, reducing visibility and traction, and turning a straightforward event into a test of adaptability.

The AI, while improved from the original release, remains a point of contention. Opponents can be overly aggressive, often engaging in questionable racing etiquette, such as ramming or ignoring track limits. However, the game offers extensive customization options to mitigate these issues, including adjustable AI difficulty, driving assists (like racing lines and stability control), and session parameters (race length, weather variability).

The Game of the Year Edition adds significant content: 50+ cars (bringing the total to 125), 4 new tracks (expanding to 35 unique locations with 100+ layouts), and 60+ community liveries. This addresses one of the original game’s criticisms—a relatively limited car roster compared to rivals like Forza or Gran Turismo. The inclusion of exclusive content, such as the combined Nürburgring Nordschleife and GP circuit, adds iconic challenges for seasoned players.

Multiplayer supports up to 16 players online, with competitive race weekends and leaderboard-based time trials. The esports focus is evident, with structured events and ghost downloads for practice. However, the online experience can be inconsistent, affected by connectivity issues and the same AI quirks in public lobbies.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Project Cars: Game of the Year Edition is a visual and auditory tour de force. The game’s graphics are among the best of its generation, with photorealistic car models, meticulously detailed interiors, and authentically recreated tracks. The dynamic lighting system captures the nuances of different times of day, from the harsh glare of midday sun to the subtle hues of dusk. Weather effects, while not quite matching the torrential drama of Driveclub, are nonetheless impressive—rain droplets bead on windscreens, puddles form on track surfaces, and fog rolls in with eerie realism.

The sound design is equally meticulous. Each car has a distinct engine note, from the whine of a Formula car to the roar of a V8 muscle car. Tire screeches, gear changes, and environmental sounds (like crowd cheers or PA announcements) add to the immersion. The audio feedback is crucial for gameplay, providing cues for shifting, loss of traction, and approaching opponents.

The world-building is achieved through this sensory fidelity. Tracks like California’s Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca or Germany’s Hockenheimring are not just backdrops but characters in their own right, with elevation changes, camber variations, and surface imperfections that demand mastery. The addition of tracks like the Aston Martin Expansion and Classic Lotus circuits further diversifies the environments, offering everything from tight, technical courses to high-speed straights.

Reception & Legacy

Upon its initial release, Project Cars received generally favorable reviews, with critics praising its ambition, visuals, and handling model, but criticizing its bugs and AI. Metacritic scores averaged around 80-85 across platforms, reflecting a game with high potential but uneven execution.

The Game of the Year Edition was met with improved reception, earning an aggregate score of 84% based on critic reviews from sources like Use a Potion! (88%) and Girl Gamers UK (80%). Reviewers noted the significant improvements, expanded content, and enhanced accessibility, though some lingering issues with AI and bugs were still highlighted. The edition was seen as the definitive way to experience the game, particularly for newcomers.

Legacy-wise, Project Cars influenced the racing genre by demonstrating the viability of community-driven development and emphasizing dynamic, weather-affected racing. It paved the way for Project Cars 2, which further refined the formula, and cemented Slightly Mad Studios’ reputation as a leader in simulation racing. The game also played a role in the rise of racing esports, thanks to its robust online features and realistic handling.

However, the series’ impact was tempered by the commercial underperformance of Project Cars 3, which shifted towards a more arcade-style approach, alienating some of the core fanbase. Despite this, the Game of the Year Edition remains a benchmark for what a comprehensive, post-launch support model can achieve—a testament to iterative improvement and player-focused design.

Conclusion

Project Cars: Game of the Year Edition is a fascinating artifact in the history of racing games. It is both a celebration of motorsport authenticity and a cautionary tale about the challenges of ambitious game development. With its stunning visuals, deep gameplay systems, and expansive content, it offers one of the most immersive racing experiences of its era, albeit one that requires patience and tolerance for its imperfections.

For simulation enthusiasts, it is a must-play, particularly in this definitive form. For casual players, the extensive customization options make it accessible, though the learning curve remains steep. In the end, it stands as a proud, if flawed, achievement—a game that dared to challenge the giants of the genre and, in doing so, carved out its own unique legacy. It may not be perfect, but as a comprehensive package, it represents the pinnacle of what Project Cars could be, and a worthy chapter in the annals of video game racing history.